4 IRAQ,
by his position as Chairman of the Interdepartmental Com-
mittee on Middle East Affairs, sometimes called the Curzon
Committee,1 through which he practically took charge of
matters concerning 'Iraq, in spite of the protests of Mr. Edwin
Montagu. Secretary of State for India, who was nominally
responsible for its affairs.2
However desirous H.M. Government may have been to
consolidate their position in clraq that it might act as a British
frontier in the Middle East, they were still unable to decide
upon the method of giving effect to their policy and were still
reluctant to take any action which might be assailed in the
Peace Conference or which might prejudice them in world
opinion. To H.M. Government in such a state of mind, the
results of the 'Iraq plebiscite as sent to London must have been
indeed welcome. In the trends of 'Iraqi public opinion as
reported, they seemed to find sufficient promise of a solution
of their difficulties to justify an advance towards setting up
the new government and a further statement of policy.
The India Office telegraphed to Baghdad on February i4th:
They [H.M, Government] will be glad if you will tele-
graph outline of constitution of Arab State or group of States,
which you would propose on basis of wishes of inhabitants, as
disclosed in telegrams and of necessity of effective and indis-
putable British control. By Anglo-French Declaration we are
committed to indigenous administration and we must adhere
to this, not only in letter but in spirit. Our objective should
be a flexible constitution, giving full play to different ele-
ments of population and recognizing and incorporating local
peculiarities and idiosyncrasies such as will provide for Arab
participation as the time goes on in the actual Government
and Administration of country, and preventing Arab nation-
alists from being drawn into opposition to British control.
These general ideas may not be any great hindrance to
1 ParL Debates, H. of C , sth S., Vol. CLI (1922), p. 1559.
3 Letter, India Office to Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office, July isth,
180